Patients will not blocked by an 'Iron Curtain' preventing them crossing boundaries to access health care under new plans, NHS bosses have promised.

Hospital trusts, councils and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) for the North East, North Cumbria and North Yorkshire, are looking to create a new organisation to improve care across the region.

The proposed integrated care system (ICS) would in turn be made up of four integrated care partnerships (ICPs).

"From a regional point of view, it will cover the Yorkshire system as well as what we're doing in the North East," said Alan Foster, sustainability and transformation partnerships lead for the North East and North Cumbria.

"But I will make sure there's no 'Iron Curtain'.

"Patients don't recognise boundaries - what we do for administrative purposes is one thing, but we've got to fix the issues".

According to supporters, ICSs are needed to improve the way care providers and responsible authorities work together, following changes brought in by the 2012 Health and Social Care act.

It is hoped this will make it easier for providers grouped together under different STPs to work together.

These STPs would cover four regions: a North Cumbria area and a Northern, Central and Southern areas based around the major population centres on the North East coast.

Following Mr Foster's 'Iron Curtain' comment and sticking with the Cold War theme, County Durham councillor and committee chairman Jon Robinson suggested the health reforms could turn the clock back to the 1970s.

Mr Foster said: "We're not starting with a blank sheet of paper, from a working together point of view there's still discussions to be had between ourselves and county councils.